• Job Description

  Req#: 4676568
  
  
  Incumbent will be required to complete work for CDE within Colorado.
  
  
  
  
  This announcement is posted until filled or preferred candidate(s) are identified; it is in your best interest to apply early.
  
  
  Colorado Department of Education – What We Do
  The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) provides leadership, resources, support, and accountability to the state's 178 school districts, 1,888 schools, over 53,000 teachers, and over 3,200 administrators to help them build capacity to meet the needs of the state's approximately 905,000 public school students. In addition, CDE provides structural and administrative support to the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Charter School Institute.
  
  As the administrative arm of the State Board of Education, CDE is responsible for implementing state and federal education laws, disbursing state and federal funds, holding schools and districts accountable for performance, licensing all educators, and providing public transparency of performance and financial data.
  
  CDE is a values-based agency that serves students, parents, and the general public by protecting public trust through ensuring adherence to laws, strong stewardship of public funds, and accountability for student performance.
  
  CDE strives to incorporate five core values that we uphold in our work internally and externally. If you come to CDE, be prepared to incorporate Integrity, Equity, Accountability, Trust, and commitment to Service in what you do.
  
  Why Work For CDE
  The work we do is rewarding and impacts the students, families, educators, and communities across Colorado. Our leadership also promotes a culture that puts families and self-care as a priority. Along with meaningful work and an environment that puts employees first, the state also offers rich benefits that intend to make us an Employer of Choice!
  The following is a summary of the benefits we offer:
  • Flexible work schedules and flexible workplace options that may include flexible working hours, working from home, working in the office, and/or a hybrid working environment.
  • Premier medical, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance options. All with a generous employer contribution keeping employee costs as low as possible.
  • Employer paid short-term disability and life insurance
  • Up to 160 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)
  • 11 paid holidays per year
  • Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals
  • Retirement through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) www.copera.org
  • Employer paid RTD Eco Pass (certain restrictions may apply)
  • Paid professional development opportunities
  Lead the Drive for Educational Excellence: The Executive Director of School and District Transformation will play a pivotal role in empowering schools and districts to improve student outcomes. You will champion innovative approaches to ensure all students have equitable access to high-quality education.
  
  Fostering a Collaborative Culture for Educational Excellence:
  Are you a passionate leader who thrives in a collaborative environment? The Executive Director of School and District Transformation thrives on building strong relationships and fostering a culture of performance within the School & District Transformation Team.
  
  This role demands a highly collaborative leader with a flexible mindset who embraces change, systems development, and innovation. You'll be an influencer who can motivate and excite a team of dedicated professionals. Your positive energy and problem-solving mindset will be instrumental in driving the work forward in partnership with colleagues across the CDE.
  
  DUTIES:
  Program Development
  Direct and drive the progress and implementation of the School & District Transformation Team priorities, including support and intervention for districts and schools on the Accountability Clock..
  Lead, coach, and support a dynamic team within CDE focused on building conditions for success in Colorado’s lowest-performing districts and schools. Develop this work both within the School and District Transformation Unit and among other units within the School Quality & Support Division.
  Provide coaching, guidance and support to the School and District Transformation unit staff
  Support the growth of the Transformation Network across Colorado by fostering new partnerships with districts and schools sustaining existing partnerships.
  Support the growth of other support structures such as internal CDE coordination meetings and professional development to meet the needs of district level leaders.
  Support and collaborate with School and District Transformation Unit in creating and leading face-to-face, peer-to-peer, and online professional development and networking opportunities for districts and schools. Connect district and school leaders with other schools and partners to facilitate best practice sharing specific school improvement strategies.
  Provide support and oversight on the implementation of the School Transformation Grant, including annual grant cycles, state board approval and legislative reporting. Ensure efficient and effective grant management and accurate reporting of School Transformation Grant funding.
  Provide support and oversight on the evaluation of the Transformation Network and other CDE supports for identified districts and schools. Collaborate with the School Quality & Support division on evaluation of CDE’s supports for low-performing schools.
  Lead the process for State Board of Education intervention in identified districts and schools by facilitating consultation with district leaders, development of district and CDE materials for hearings, collaborating with CDE and state board leadership as necessary, and presenting regularly to the state board.
  Monitor the implementation and progress of districts and schools with state board directed action.
  Cultivate a list of external partners to provide support to districts and schools through CDE’s annual Advisory List of Providers
  
  Performance Management
  Develop an internal performance management process that ensures a strong performance culture within the Unit and provide ongoing feedback to staff.
  Lead regular and consistent performance management conversations with district and school leadership teams designed to reflect on and drive student performance progress and school practice to build capacity in schools and districts.
  Support schools and districts in tracking and managing school improvement grant activities.
  Articulate Colorado’s accountability system to local school and district stakeholders, including school boards. Facilitate accountability pathways planning and implementation.
  
  Leadership and Policy
  Support the department’s strategic plan goal and key initiative around school improvement by contributing to the development of the strategic plan, especially the metrics, reporting on progress, revising activities as needed based on outcomes, and focusing on resource allocation at the state level for district and school support.
  Provide expertise on research around school improvement practices, as well as costs associated with different supports, to help with policy development, resource allocation, and autonomy and flexibility for low-performing schools and districts.
  Respond to legislative requests, develop fiscal notes, and participate in CDE policy discussions related to supports for low-performing schools.
  Present regularly to the State Board of Education on issues related to support for low-performing schools and accountability hearings.
  Provide leadership and management of the School and District Transformation Unit. Represent the unit’s work on the School Quality & Support Division leadership team and cross-department teams as applicable
  Lead the transformation strategy within CDE for the department’s implementation of support and intervention to increase the outcomes for students in state board directed action schools and those furthest along the state’s accountability clock.
  Manage budget and funding for the unit and for support structures managed by the unit.
  Collaborate and liaise with the Extended Leadership Team and other leaders of the units within Student Excellence
  Collaborate with multiple other offices around the development, articulation, management, and evaluation of intensive supports to districts and schools across the state, including the Transformation Network.
  Support the development of a coherent service delivery model across the department.
  
  
  
  
  
  QUALIFICATIONS:
  
  Ability and willingness to travel.
  The ability to pass a background check.
  7-10 years working in the education field with two or more years in leadership in a priority improvement or turnaround setting.
  Must include experience with state accountability, state assessment, school law and policy, state board rule and procedures, and legislative matters
  Three or more years of supervisory experience
  
  Master’s degree in relevant program (e.g public policy, education leadership, law) preferred.
  
  Political savvy, including the ability to effectively relate to people at all levels internally and externally
  Extensive interpersonal, group communication and facilitation skills. Ability to relate to different audiences and successfully deliver critical messages
  Positive enthusiasm and attention to problem solving with others
  Ability to effectively collaborate with a wide-range of CDE, district, and school leaders
  Extensive knowledge of education leadership, instruction, district operational effectiveness and leadership coaching
  Strong networking abilities, with the ability to consistently display high levels of integrity, authenticity, and sincerity
  Superior professionalism driven by a solutions-based approach to problem solving issues faced by education systems, including the implementation of school and district improvement strategies, particularly in rural environments
  Commitment to relentlessly supporting CDE’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities
  Understand priorities, norms, and unwritten rules for success at all levels of the organization
  Exceptional oral and written communication skills
  Demonstrated track record of success with managing complex projects including planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating internal and external projects
  
  
  Complete Applications must include :
  • Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS.
  • Resume: Required - Copy and Paste into the Supplemental Questions (11,000 character limit, aprx. 3 pages)
  
  
  FOR CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE OF COLORADO:
  
  Per the requirements of the Step Pay Program implemented on July 1, 2024, any State employee must be paid a rate that is equal to or greater than the appropriate step pay rate within their classification’s pay range based on completed years in their current class series as of June 30. All current and former State employees must ensure that your entire work history within the State Classified System, including at Institutions of Higher Education, is indicated in your application so that your time-in-series can be calculated accurately.
  
  
  Email Address:
  All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted via email. Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time-sensitive correspondence such as exam information or notification will take place via email. Please set up your e-mail to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam-filtered email.
  
  
  Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Equal Employment Opportunity
  The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, a medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
  
  The Colorado Department of Education is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to hr@cde.state.co.us.

• About the company

  Colorado is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains.

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